Sunrise
by Corrupted-Phoenix
Summary: Ed has been at his happiest ever since he started a new and better life with Roy and their daughter – and there's nothing he won't do to protect it. [EdxRoy, AU]
1. Prologue

Because it's easier to follow and understand with this, I'm now including a prologue that's actually a brief timeline for Sunrise.

This is what I get for running off to AU land with my fandom.

* * *

**The Prologue;** _So You Know What's Going On._

* * *

Edward Elric was twenty-one years old before he and Alphonse finally succeeded in restoring their original bodies. The first thing the contented brothers did was return home, where they were greeted with much celebration and warmth. When Ed returned to Central the following week, he promptly threw away his silver watch and the title that came with it.

While at Central Ed went to see Roy Mustang, his lover of two years. His stay with Roy turned out two months longer than what he had planned, so he decided to stay even _longer_ and move in with his boyfriend. They dated for another two years before Roy proposed to him, an offer the Ed readily took.

The both of them took on new habits after marriage. Ed _always_ wore his hair down; it was rare for him to pull it back into a ponytail and even rarer to put it in a braid. Roy was much more careful around appliances now and a lot less of a womanizer. In fact, he was a little afraid to look at a woman longer than a minute in fear Ed would smack him and oh-so-kindly remind him that he was married and most certainly gay.

Four years into their marriage, Ed suddenly proposed they adopt a child. Roy was a bit skeptical about the whole idea at first. Them, parents? Likely chance. But that energetic lover of his just would not give up.

And so, they ended up adopting a little girl named April who was only one year old. She was an Ishbalan orphan that Roy had chosen himself, and this was his peace offering to the people he so regrettably destroyed in his younger years.

Now at thirty years of age, Ed is still as active and hyper as ever. Roy is forty-four years of age and Ed loves to tease him about being an old man, but Roy is all too used to the childish banter between them both to care much at this point.

Meanwhile, Roy continues to climb towards the top. At the rank of General, he's doing a lovely job of supporting his family and keeping Ed happy with feather pillows, April with stuffed animals and Sugar, the family cat, with luxurious cat food.

Their lives are simply perfect and couldn't be happier, especially when Roy's career takes an unexpected but wondrous turn. However, there is a dark cloud looming overhead that threatens their perfect world – a world that Edward is willing to do anything to protect.


	2. Family Matters

This took a surprisingly long time to finish writing, and I couldn't begin to tell you why. I don't have much personal input for this fic as of now, only the great urge to write it. (I guess it's safe to say I hope it will be liked, I have plans for this.) Oh yes, and I'm proud of myself that I wrote them so IC even though they're married now.

**NOTE:** This chapter pure Ed x Roy fluff, the next chapter will more than likely be in the same boat and part of the third chapter might be sort of fluffy, but it will only go up on the angst factor from there. I have the general plot mapped out in my head, and it can get pretty unhappy at times. (It's mostly all emotional though, not much physical violence.) I promise to have a happy ending, however!

Also, I'm going to be ignoring some things that happened in the series. But that's okay because you love me. Right? Right.

**Title:** Sunrise  
**Rating:** PG-13.  
**Genre: **Completely AU.It's sort of hard to define this as everything is going to be a roller coaster of genres, so I guess I'm going to have to stick to drama. Be prepared.  
**Pairing:** Edward x Roy. And some other pairings just for the hell of it.  
**Warnings (Overall):** Yaoi, random spoilers abound, mild violence, ridiculous amount of angst in chapters to come. (But most of all that isn't even in this chapter, so you're safe for now.)

**Summary:** Ed has been at his happiest ever since he started a new and better life with Roy and their daughter – and there's nothing he won't do to protect it.

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**Chapter One;** _Family Matters

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_

He often caught himself staring out whatever window would show him the yard in which his family was playing in, silent but bemused.

Ed had to be honest; they were a mismatched family. But even with their differences, they all somehow complemented each other and were unbelievably close. When one was gone for a long time, the house would never be quite the same until the missing family member returned, and all three of them would be together again.

As he watched out of the kitchen window, Ed saw his daughter dash off and duck behind a row of bushes. The little girl's smile was ever present on that youthful face of hers, that trademark smile defining who she was; April Mustang. Roy covered his eyes with two gloved hands and began to count out loud, stopping at ten. Hearing the enthusiastic 'Ready or not, here I come!' through the open window, the blonde man couldn't help but laugh. Roy uncovered his eyes and pretended not to see April's bright pink dress through the bushes she had chosen to hide behind, resulting in a quietly giggling little girl.

"Where did Appy go?" Roy mock gasped, pretending that the girl had disappeared from sight. April only giggled harder, her tiny hands pressed to her mouth in attempts to stifle the uncontrollable noise. "What's that? Do I hear giggling?"

April was the most beautiful little girl in their world, inside and out. She was always a cheerful child and must have been born with the great sociability she possessed. Those long, dark locks of hers always shined brilliantly in the sun and her red eyes were always sparkling and filled with glee. Ed was convinced that her bronze skin literally glowed.

To anyone else, April was just another Ishbalan child who was happy with her foster home. Both Ed and Roy were stubborn and proud people, so it was natural that their parent's pride would come so strongly.

"Mreoww!"

Ed only sighed at the whining cat, Sugar, sitting by the patio door. Sugar looked over to where his master was standing, tilted his head and meowed again pleadingly. His big, yellow eyes were wide and downright sad looking, so the blonde found himself giving in and opening the door for Sugar. The feline slipped through the door before it was fully open and bounded over to Roy, who had was tickling a recently-found April.

"Oh, hey there, Sugar." Roy greeted, receiving a friendly rub against the leg from the orange cat. He ceased the tickling of his daughter (who still continued to laugh) and rubbed Sugar's ears affectionately, a content purr being his reward.

"Sugar!" April squealed happily, scooping the cat up into her arms like a baby and placing kisses on his furry head. Roy smiled warmly at the four-year-old and ruffled her hair lovingly, getting even more giggles as a response. Out of the corner of his eyes, he spotted the familiar blonde standing in the doorway.

Roy grinned and beckoned to him. "Ed, c'mere!"

The younger husband blinked, but his lips were quick to curl into a smile. Not bothering to put anything on his bare feet before venturing outside, Ed stepped out the door and strolled across the lawn, getting a quick kiss from Roy as a greeting.

"Me and Daddy were playing and he hid and I found him!" April announced proudly to her second parent upon his arrival. If her arms hadn't been full holding the orange cat, they would have undoubtedly been wrapped tightly around Ed's leg.

Ed crouched down to April's level, grinning. "Daddy isn't good at hiding, is he?" He answered in a playful mock whisper. April shook her head so that her pigtails whipped back and forth.

"Nope! Daddy no good at hiding!"

The both of them were too busy laughing to notice Roy's mock frown. Once their laughter had died down, April chirped up once again with one of her oh-so-famous smiles.

"Does Mommy want to play with me and Daddy and Sugar?"

April had always referred to Ed as Mommy since she was adopted as a baby (It was actually her first word), and so the habit still stuck now. Roy had made some cracks about Ed being the woman of the family at first, but the fractured nose he received as punishment kept him from saying _that_ again.

A gentle smile crossed the blonde's face. "Yeah, Mommy wants to play too."

&&&&&

April was always a fairly good girl; she ate _almost_ everything her parents fed her and went to bed without much of a fuss. It was normally Ed who tucked the girl in, read her a story and kissed her goodnight when her bedtime rolled around, but tonight it was Roy to put her to bed. After the reading of April's favorite story books, the happy little girl drifted off to sleep.

"Night-night, Appy." Roy whispered serenely before placing a quick kiss on his daughter's forehead. Smiling to himself, the older parent stood and made his way to the door, flicking the light off before closing it behind him. Barely seconds after the door closed, a pair of arms had flung themselves around his shoulders and there was a pair of demanding lips upon his own, rough but passionate. Roy gladly reacted by opening his mouth for the blonde, who was quick to take the response. They slowly parted a few moments later.

"Having a child takes away our alone time." Ed mumbled, before pressing another kiss to his husband's lips – gentler this time. Roy grinned into the soft kiss, and when they parted for the second time the mischievous expression was still present.

"Oh? I didn't know you were pining over me, Ed."

"Pining? Over you?" Ed snorted, lips curling up into an amused smile. "Dream on, Mustang." The blonde countered nonchalantly, used to the playful banter between them.

Roy raised a brow with curiosity. "Oh? Why the use of _that_ name? It's not only mine now, if you've forgotten."

"It brings back old memories." Ed answered happily, leaning into the older man's chest with a dreamy sigh. Roy idly laced his fingers through the blonde locks of hair he loved, placing a chaste kiss on the top of Ed's head.

"I don't see how the memories of us snapping at each other is something you _want_ to remember." The man mused, earning a sarcastic snort out of his husband.

"These days I'm _too_ nice to you." The blonde answered, devious eyes staring into his husband's. "It's been all '_I love you, dear_' since we got married seven years ago, and even more since we adopted April."

"Isn't that what marriage and parenthood is about?" He countered just as quick, though there was a devious grin on _his_ face too.

"Sure, sure, all that love stuff is fine but…" A slight frown crossed his features. "I miss the _adventure_. We haven't -"

"Made love since our last anniversary?"

The younger husband made a sound of disapproval. "Well, _yes_, but I miss our nights just… _together_."

"We sleep in the same bed. Of course we have nights together." Ed chose to ignore the blatant sarcasm in the remark.

"You know what I mean, Roy." Ed gently slipped his arms under Roy's own and felt the older man sigh silently. "A nice dinner for two, those smelly candles, bubble bath, expensive hotel suite…"

The older man rolled his eyes in amusement. The things Ed described were what they had done on their third anniversary. He knew Ed would never forget that night they spent together; there were just too many things to remember _forever_. Roy made a content humming sound at the thought. "That sounds lovely, Ed. But I have something called a job that is keeping me busy."

"You always have work." There was clearly disappointment in his voice.

"And the income I get from it is supporting you, April, and not to mention paying all the bills." Although he sighed heavily in a display of also being disappointed, Ed still frowned into Roy's chest.

"Roy, we haven't done anything yet for our anniversary this year; it's already passed by two days. Last year it was dinner at a five star restaurant, the year after _that_ we went to a play, and the year before _that_-"

"Alright, alright! You've made your point!" Roy replied exasperatedly. "But my work is important, and so is April. It's not easy being a parent of a young girl."

"Pfft. Stupid excuses again."

Roy couldn't tell if that was more sarcastic or angry, and a tired sigh couldn't help but escape him. "C'mon, Ed. You know I miss our time together too."

There was silence, then a defeated sigh. "I know, I know. But you had _better_ pamper me _at least_ before the week is out." Ed prodded Roy's chest roughly.

"Of course, of course. I'll ask Hawkeye for some time off to spend with my oh-so-brilliant husband whom I love dearly." The sarcastic remark only made Ed laugh, even though he knew full well Roy was teasing.

"Good." Ed answered promptly, catching Roy's lips in another quick kiss before continuing. "Now. Mommy's tired."

Roy rolled his eyes. "You _like_ me calling you Mommy now? I thought you only allowed April to do that."

He opened his mouth to reply but blushed and closed it again. Shaking his head, he decided to try it again. "Umm… well, it's sexy when _you_ say it to me."

"You're a weirdo sometimes, Mommy."

He was certain he saw the younger man's cheeks flush an even darker red before he leaned down to steal another kiss.

&&&&&

Roy was normally the happiest person in the office; so when something was up, it was painfully obvious. The things that bothered him were really only ever minor things such as April having a cold or the cat being lost again, and very rarely was it something major. Today, it was obvious that a family member wasn't feeling well.

Ed hadn't been able to get out of bed this morning due to a very nasty headache. Roy had to find some medicine and a glass of water for Ed on his own, and wasn't surprised to see the younger man swallow two pills and down the glass of water under a minute. Roy tried to kiss him before leaving for work and take April to day care, but the blonde pushed him away and dove underneath the covers once more, pressing the pillows tightly to his head.

Havoc was the first to notice the worried look on Roy's face this particular morning. "G'morning, General. Something wrong?"

"Hm? Oh, Ed's not feeling well…" He trailed off, staring into his coffee mug.

"I had the feeling it would be about him or April." Havoc answered confidently, "You know, I never would've thought you'd be such a family man before you and Ed got married."

Roy shook his head with a warm smile. "The only woman I have in my life now is April - and as far as Ed's concerned that's the way it will stay."

"I don't think he'd take to it lightly even if you _weren't_ married _or_ had a kid together." The Colonel chuckled. Ed had changed a lot since marriage and parenthood, but he still had that stubborn and fiery streak to him. And with all the visits he did to the office, Havoc and the others had plenty of opportunities to see that familiar Ed they all knew.

"Hmm. It's frightening to think of all the different ways he'd hurt the lady… or me." The General added with a shudder.

Havoc laughed at the comment, but also shivered at realizing it was quite probably true.

Brigadier General Hawkeye soon found her turn to speak. "I doubt you have to worry about any of that, General; you and Ed are completely devoted to each other. And to April too, of course." The blonde woman added, knowing how much the little girl meant to them.

Roy sighed happily at the mention of April, idly tracing his finger along the rim of his coffee mug. "She's brilliant, you know. She's such a good girl, and her drawings are enough to just melt your heart away…"

Havoc and Hawkeye exchanged laughing glances. Roy acted just like Hughes these days, being able to spend hours on end talking about how adorable April was or how much better Ed made his life or even sometimes little stories about the cat. The only thing different was that he wasn't constantly shoving pictures under everyone's noses.

Smiling, Furey decided to join the conversation. "You know, you remind me of Brigadier General Hughes with all these stories you tell about your family."

Roy tilted his head curiosity at the comment at first, but was laughing a moment later when the words finally seemed to sink in. "Woah, I do!" Roy shook his head at himself, grinning the whole time. "Maes _always_ talked about his daughter and wife. I guess one friend will pick up habits from the other, huh?" His smile suddenly seemed to turn bittersweet, his following words coming out far-away and distant. "He would have loved April, you know…"

Silence fell across the room.

Just as the silence was beginning to become unbearable, the phone on Roy's desk started ringing and saved the room's occupants from the awkward moment. Grateful to have something distract him from the disheartening thoughts, Roy lifted the ringing phone from its receiver.

"General Roy Mustang here."

"I _know_ who you are, stupid." Came a familiar voice, groggy and tired sounding.

Roy sighed. "I would hope. You _know_ I'm supposed to announce my name when you call this line, Ed. Besides, I have no way of knowing _who_ is calling -"

"Oh, shut up already." Ed grumbled in irritation, "My head still hurts and there's no medicine in the house for it."

"There should be." The General answered confidently, almost positive that there had been another bottle of headache medication in the bathroom. Somewhere.

"Well there isn't." Was the quick reply he got from his husband on the other end of the phone.

"That's why I'm calling! Go buy me some on your way home today. And get more cat food for Sugar, she's been whining all day because she has nothing but those weird flakey things you bought on sale last week." Ed ordered; obviously not shy to boss Roy around.

Roy rolled his eyes and sighed as he slumped into his chair. "Anything else you'd like to add, dearest?" If Ed noticed the mild tease, he had ignored it.

"Don't be late picking up April today. You were late last week and you know how upset she got."

"Ah, yes. Don't worry, I wouldn't do anything to make our darling April sad."

He heard his younger husband sigh heavily and knew that the blonde was probably rubbing his throbbing head. "Just come home soon, Roy. I'll try sleeping it off, but I still want that medicine."

"Alright, I won't forget. Love you, Ed."

"Love you, too." Though Ed had grumbled it, Roy knew that his little blonde husband meant it.

Ah, life was good.

&&&&&

"Mommy! We're home!" April called cheerfully at her arrival home that day; dashing into the house the moment Roy unlocked the door. She kicked off her shoes and started to run for upstairs when Roy hooked an arm around her tiny waist.

"Appy, Mommy's head hurts. He's probably still sleeping, so it's best we leave him alone." Roy told her softly. April frowned, looking disappointed.

"April can't play with Mommy?"

"No, April can't play with Mommy. But he'll get better soon and then he can play with you." Roy reassured her, ruffling her hair lovingly. Her spirits seemed to lift up again, for there was a bright smile spreading across her face.

"I make Mommy get-well card!" April giggled and skipped down the hall to the kitchen where she knew she had left her crayons that morning. Roy sighed happily and followed her as she bounded through the hallway. Ed _adored _all the little crafts April did; so Roy knew however small the card she made, it would cheer the blonde up.

The dark-haired girl had tracked down a few sheets of paper and her crayons and immediately started drawing, her ever-present smile plastered to her young face.

"I draw Mommy, Daddy, Sugar and Appy so Mommy will be happy!" The four-year-old announced happily, scribbling away with a yellow crayon. She started humming to herself and just when Roy was about to leave the room, she spoke up. "Daddy make food!"

"But honey, it's not suppertime yet-"

"No! Daddy make it for Mommy!"

Roy gave his daughter a curious look at the remark. April sighed accusingly and stared up at her father. "Mommy says that you're lazy and useless and don't pampwer him enough." She answered, struggling a little over the unfamiliar word. Roy looked at her rather dumbfounded for a moment before a grin tugged at his lips. _Trust Ed to say something like that about me._

Roy chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine, I'll make something for Mommy."

&&&&&

Roy held the tray between one hand and his waist as he struggled to get the door to his and Ed's bedroom opened. Finally getting the door handle turned, he slipped inside gracefully.

"Wake up, darling! I made food for you, and I have your medicine!"

There was a disgruntled groan from the bed despite the cheery greeting. Roy shook his head and sat down on the bed by his lover's side, daring to pull the covers away. When he did, Edward reflexively curled into a ball and grumbled disapprovingly. His blonde hair was sprawled all over the pillows and his slightly flushed cheeks, so Roy gently brushed the hair away from his eyes.

"Ed, come on. Eat something; you've been sleeping all day."

The blonde heaved himself up into a sitting position, rubbing his head soothingly. He eyed the soup presented to him for a while before his infamous devious grin crossed his face.

"April told you I called you lazy, didn't she?"

Roy nodded, surprised by Ed's knowledge. "How'd you know?"

"Kids tend to snitch on their parents." Ed winked. "And knowing you, you aren't going to stand for being back-talked are you, Roy?" The blonde could only laugh at the pout Roy gave him. "It isn't much, but I've managed to get some instant soup out of you. Oh look, you've gotten my medicine too. I'm so lucky." Ed drawled in a seductive voice, much unlike the groggy one he used when he was on the phone earlier that day.

Roy flushed at the comment, opening his mouth to retort but only getting out desperate sputters. His husband pressed a finger to his lips with that mischievous gleam in his eyes and soon replaced the finger for his lips in an affectionate kiss. Ed gently pulled away after a moment and skillfully spooned some soup into his mouth.

"Don't worry," The blonde continued after taking the spoon out of his mouth and tapping it again Roy's nose, "I know you can't cook very well, I wouldn't want you burning the house down trying to feed me."

Roy frowned at the comment on first reflex of being put down; but it disappeared after he grudgingly realized that his lover was right. Ed grinned.

That man had one _hell_ of a lover's intuition.


	3. Our Eight Years

Oh dear this took a while. I'm so sorry this chapter took such a long time for me to write! If I wasn't busy, I was either completely drained or my muse for fluff had simply fluttered away. The next update shouldn't take as long as this one did, I swear.

This chapter is still in fluff-zone and I apologize that I'm taking so long to actually get into the real plot of this story. I have no further excuse, so I'm leaving it at that. You'll also notice that I threw in another pairing. (Though nothing really happens between them because they're het and I'm still too stuck in a yaoi mindset to write them properly.) Why? Because I can. I'll be adding more pairings in the future, too.

Also! Sunrise now has a prologue-that-isn't-exactly-a-prologue because I realized while writing this chapter that I've no idea how to work everything in. Silly little AU.

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**Chapter Two;** _Our Eight Years_

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Ed had fallen asleep face-down last night, so when he finally awoke and opened his eyes, all that greeted him was more darkness. 

"Roy, go get me a glass of water." He grumbled into the pillow after finding his throat dry, most likely from sleeping with his mouth open.

When he received no answer or felt no movement, he thrust his elbow out to hit his husband. That should get his attention, the lazy bastard. And it would have, if Roy had actually been there.

"Huh? Roy?" Still in a half-sleep daze, Ed managed to roll himself over onto his back so that he could actually see. A frown made its way to Ed's face, though he had to admit it was nice to have the bed to himself for a change.

There was suddenly something crawling on top of Ed's chest. All too used to it by now, he recognized the little paws crawling all over him and grumbled. The cat mewled loudly and stared right down at his master with wide, yellow eyes.

"You're spoiled, you know." The blonde stated as he lifted his hand to scratch behind Sugar's ears. The cat purred and rubbed his head against Ed's hand. "Luxurious food, regular grooming, a huge house to run around in, a hyper little girl to play with, an expensive cat bed that you never use…" Even if Sugar _could_ understand what the blonde was saying to him, he would have been too wrapped up in his purring to notice the annoyance in that last bit. "That's what you get for being the cat of a general. You're one lucky cat."

Ed continued to muse over how lucky Sugar was until he found himself at the conclusion that he and the purring cat on his chest were very similar. Neither did much of anything productive, both were living very luxuriously off the General's income, loved playing with April and above all else, loved sleeping on a soft mattress with feather pillows and designer duvets.

After lazing in bed for quite some time, Ed realized that he could hear the oh-so-familiar laughter of his daughter from somewhere downstairs. There was another giggle too, and it was most certainly not Roy's. Wasn't April supposed to be in preschool by now? Wait, what time was it anyways?

Very ungracefully, he stumbled out of bed and into his slippers with a wide yawn. The clock on the wall confirmed the time to be half past noon. Ed didn't bother to properly brush his tangled hair and slipped on one of Roy's button-up blouses (Ed had a notorious habit of turning Roy's shirts into cozy night clothes, so by now the fabric was worn but so much softer) before moseying out the bedroom with Sugar tagging along behind him.

"Mommy's awake!"

Before he was quite sure of what was happening, April had latched herself onto Ed's leg and was squealing in delight.

"Ah, good morning – er, afternoon, Mustang-san."

Ed looked up to see Elysia Hughes, April's usual babysitter, smiling brightly. He _still_ hadn't completely gotten used to being addressed as Mustang-san despite the fact that he had been married to Roy for eight years now.

"G'morning Elysia. Since you're here, I'm guessing Roy's at work? And you can just call me Ed, you know." Ed replied, stretching his arms with a sleepy yawn. "But why didn't he take Appy to preschool today?"

The young woman giggled. "It's Sunday today. He was called in for something urgent apparently, so he called me because he didn't want to wake you up."

"Sunday?" The blonde repeated, titling his head to the side. "I was sure it was Thursday. Goes to show how much attention I'm paying to life."

"Daddy never pays attention either!" April chirped up, obviously repeating something she heard Ed say before.

Said parent was quick to change the topic then. "Anyhow, Elysia. You can stay for lunch if you'd like. It's noon, we have more food in the house than we can eat, and I'm sure April wouldn't mind you staying a bit longer."

"Onee-chan stay longer!" The little girl's eyes lit up with happiness at the thought.

"I'd love to, but I have a test tomorrow that I really have to study for." She offered an apologetic smile, guilty by the sad look April was now giving her.

"Ah, that's alright. I'll pay you now, then. Roy forgot his wallet on the dresser this morning, give me a minute to get it."

"No, no, that's okay! I get enough money from my job at the department store. Besides, I'm sure you and Mustang-san have babysat for me many times in the past. Think of it as repayment."

The blonde laughed, shaking his head. "Strange as always."

Elysia only smiled.

&&&

"Ed! Ed, Ed, Ed, Ed!" Roy called with all-too-much-cheer in his voice when he bound in through the front door. "Ed -"

"Would you _stop_ it already!" The younger man interrupted before Roy could continue his annoying call, "You've got my attention!" He added as he descended the stairs to see what his husband was so excited about. April skipped along after him, crayons in hand and singing as usual.

Roy met his younger husband at the foot of the stairs, smiling a smile that was eerily similar to April's – cheery and reassuring. But as this was Roy and not April, it was also a bit on the unnerving side to Ed.

"And what's got _you_ acting like a three-year-old, then?" The blonde questioned, placing his hands on his hips and looking down at Roy accusingly. This had better be good.

Roy pouted. "Is that so?What three-year-old can run a country, huh?"

Ed's irritated frown was suddenly wiped away and was slowly being replaced with a disbelieving grin. "You don't mean -"

"But I do! As of Monday at noon, the order will be in effect and I will officially be _Fuhrer Roy Mustang_."

Ed screamed out delight and latched his arms around Roy's shoulders in a tight hug, laughing wildly. "Ahahaha! You big idiot, I _knew_ you'd get there someday!"

"Yay for Daddy!" April squealed, attaching herself to Roy's leg with a tight a hug as Ed's. Of course, the young girl didn't really understand what her parents were so glad about. But if there was one thing the young child _did_ know about her parents it was that if Mommy was that happy over something Daddy did, then it was had to be something good.

"And!" Roy continued when Ed had loosened his grip enough that he wasn't crushing him anymore, "I just _happen_ to have a rather pricy hotel suite for two booked for tonight. And I hear the restaurant there is one of the best in Central, too."

Ed's lips curled into sly grin before pressing them against Roy's in an affectionate kiss – his wordless thank-you. If April hadn't been there, both men were sure it would have been a lot more feverish.

"Get a room!"

Surprised more by what she had said than anything else, Ed pulled away from his husband to look down at his daughter instead with a curious look. He wasn't sure he wanted to know where she had picked up _that_ phrase.

"Appy, Mommy and I are going out tonight for our anniversary and we aren't going to be back until tomorrow." Roy told her sweetly, crouching down to her eye level. "It's our alone time, so you're going to have to stay with a friend."

"Appy wants to stay with Onee-chan!"

Seeing Roy about to answer their daughter, Ed quickly cut in. "Elysia's busy tonight studying for an exam. You know anyone else who can take care of her, Roy? I'd ask Al if only he lived in Central…"

"Havoc might be able to. He's never doing anything."

That suggestion got a quick response. "I am _not_ having _my_ daughter spend a whole night around someone who's going to infect her lungs with _chemicals_!"

Ever since Ed had found a pamphlet on the side effects of smoking and seen all the gruesome pictures in it, he had been pointedly avoiding Havoc if they ever came in contact. That burning stick of bad health Havoc always had hanging out of mouth was chemically-death-waiting-to-happen and infected everyone else around him, damnit!

The obsession had actually scared Roy so much that he personally nailed a large 'No Smoking' sign in the office.

"Alright, alright! I'll ask Riza then." Roy defended before Ed could start ranting about the charcoal colour your lungs turned due to smoking.

"Aunty Riza! Aunty Riza!" April sang, twirling around happily.

Seeing April's enthusiasm as a good sign, Roy stood and made his way to the living room, April dancing around behind him. Sugar jumped off the couch when they entered the room and started rubbing against Ed's legs merrily. Roy put the phone to his ear and dialed Riza's number.

_Ring. Ring. Ring. Click._

"Brigadier General Hawkeye here."

"Hello Riza, this is Roy." He replied, his casual response oddly contrasting with the official greeting Hawkeye had issued.

"Oh, good evening sir. I was wondering if you'd be calling." She replied, suddenly more friendly at knowing it was a casual conversation.

Roy blinked. "Huh?"

"You were prancing around the office all day saying how much Ed would love your anniversary gift. As it included a hotel and restaurant, I suspected April would need a babysitter."

"Oh. Well, can you?"

Riza sighed. "I suppose. I'm sure you don't mind that Jean is going to be here too, though? We're living together now."

Now _that_ was a surprise. When had those two gotten that serious? "I don't mind; just make sure he doesn't smoke around Appy." He glanced over his shoulder to make sure Ed was distracted by something else before continuing. "Because then Ed will probably murder you both. He's dead set against Havoc the babysitter and he still hasn't stopped randomly ranting about the health issues."

"Oh trust me, he won't. I've already started working on that bad habit of his."

The two could only laugh, leaving their nearby lovers confused and not really wanting to know.

&&&

"Mmm… you were right, this _is_ the best restaurant in town." Ed mused happily as he finished his ridiculously-expensive, delicious meal.

"But of course! I'm always right." Roy replied slyly, winking at his younger husband and getting an impish grin in return.

"Always right, huh? What about when you said that Sugar was housetrained when we first got him?"

"Well, that was -" He didn't even bother to continue.

"I win. Now then, shall we try dessert? I've been _dying_ to find out what their lemon meringue pie is like. Oh, and the pudding. And maybe even the strawberry cake. Oh yes, definitely the strawberry cake." That tone was utterly blissful.

"Want me to just order you the whole menu?"

"Oohh, now there's an idea." Though he was joking as well, Roy highly suspected that Ed really wouldn't mind if he did.

Roy flagged down their waitress to order their dessert and wasn't surprised to hear Ed order three different, sugar-filled things. Carefully watching her leave, Roy gave Ed a suggestive look, and leaned forward, beckoning his husband forward as well. Obeying, the younger of the two leaned in to hear what Roy had to say.

"That girl seems like such a snob, don't you think?"

Ed smacked his forehead with his palm. "And here I thought you were going to be serious for a change."

"Well, they are." Roy received a skeptical look at the weak defense. "And the woman at the table over there seems completely full of herself."

"Kind of like you?" Ed teased again, quick to start bantering.

"Do you really think of me that way, dearest? I'm hurt." He melodramatically put one hand over his heart and gave Ed a sad pout. When Ed didn't give in, Roy dropped the act and continued on with his observations. "That man over there seems awfully pushy with his wife. _I_ sure wouldn't act like that."

"I suppose that's one thing I agree with. But I'd probably punch you in the face if you did, anyways."

Roy looked contemplative. "Yes, that's true." His dark eyes started to drift around the outdoor section of the restaurant, searching for more victims. "That girl is most definitely spoiled, with the way she demands everything like that."

"If Appy turns out like that it's your fault, okay?"

"And that whole _family_ over there has the worst fashion sense I've seen since the girls at HQ got drunk last year."

"Roy, stop judging everyone -"

"And," His eyes fell back on the blonde man sitting right across from him. Ed was suddenly captivated by that sultry look, and could only blush when Roy's hand found its way to his own. "The dazzling beauty of the man sitting before me exceeds that of everyone else in this room. No, make that Amestris."

Leaving Ed speechless and blushing furiously, Roy grinned and pulled Ed's hand a little closer before placing a gentle kiss on his knuckles.

"And he's not only a beautiful man to look at, I can tell he has a lovely personality too. Charming, affectionate, outspoken, cute and yet, still strong. He makes a wonderful husband and an even better parent. His lover must be the luckiest man alive to have him and his love, _oh-so-lucky_. And…" Roy trailed off, his eyes smiling but never more serious. "I'm sure that I would love nothing more than to spend my entire life with him." Then his lips were on Ed's in a simple kiss, but there was never so much love in any of his kisses before. "Happy Anniversary, love."

"Happy Anniversary." Ed agreed quietly, having found his voice again. However, he wasn't quite able to get rid of his red cheeks. "I love you, Roy."

Roy gave Ed a peak on the cheek. "I love you too."

Ed had always been one to mock romantic things, so Roy took it as a form of affection that Ed said nothing on the matter now. After all, there was nothing capable of making the headstrong blonde speechless. Until now that was, and Roy would forever be proud of that.

The waitress soon arrived after Ed had managed to get his blush under control, hands completely full due of the variety of foods Ed had ordered. When she left them to tend to another table, Ed caught Roy staring at the plates on the table before them.

"You know I didn't order these solely for me, right?"

Roy looked up at him and blinked. Ed stared right back and grinned.

"Hun, you _barely_ eat anything sugary." He explained as he scooped up a forkful of cake. "All you ever eat is that low-whatever stuff. You need more sugar in you!"

"Now I know why you and April are so hyperactive." Roy mused, soon getting the forkful of cake Ed had shoved into his mouth. Actually, it wasn't as bad as he had feared it would be. In fact, he was sure he could eat the rest of this!

Ed smiled triumphantly when Roy took the fork from him and started to eat the sugary strawberry cake on his own.

"I win again."

Even despite their teasing and silly nature, both lovers were smart enough to realize just how utterly lucky they were to have each other.

&&&

The couple didn't return home until noon the next day. They stumbled through the front door with their lips locked in a flurry of kissing, Ed flushed and giggling. He was still a little tipsy from the wine an hour ago and limping slightly from the night, both of which he blamed Roy for.

"Mmm, stop it." Ed moaned half-heartedly when Roy pushed him against the wall and started kissing his neck. "April." He only managed to get out their daughter's name before he let out a sharp gasp at Roy's tongue on his ear.

"She's with Riza and Havoc, remember?"

"Oh yes…" Roy wasn't sure he was responding to him or his tongue. He decided it was his tongue, as Ed only seemed to understand what he said now. "Wait, wait. Havoc?"

"Yeah, I was surprised too. They're living together now. Never would have thought they'd get that serious, huh?"

The blonde frowned. He was tempted to shove Roy off of him, but he found himself too attached to the kisses on his neck to do so. "You know I didn't want Havoc babysitting her! She's going to come home with lung cancer now!"

"Don't worry!" The older of the two quickly reassured, "Riza said she'd make sure he didn't, and she's a woman who sticks to her word."

"Pfft. Fine. I trust you."

"You didn't before?"

"You really want to hear the answer?" The tease was quick to present itself.

Rolling his eyes, Roy pulled away from his husband. As neither had lunch yet, Roy made his way to the kitchen with Ed following him on instinct. "April should be in preschool by now, so we don't have to worry. We can just let Riza pick her up, that okay?"

"I suppose. Where's Sugar? Normally he would have been mewling at our feet by now." It didn't seem quite the same without the cat in the house. It wasn't really the same without April either, as it was oddly quiet.

"He's with Riza too. You know how attached Appy is to that ball of fur."

This got a chuckle out of Ed. "Sort of reminds me of Al. Ah, which reminds me. I haven't called in a while, I should go do that."

Just as Ed was about to leave the room for one that did have a phone, Roy hooked his arms around Ed's small waist. "Al can wait a little bit longer." He whispered gently, placing a ghost of kiss on his neck. "We're still celebrating our anniversary while we have the time."

He was never too sure on why exactly he let Roy take control of him like that, but the only plausible answer he could ever find was that he was madly in love with him. And fortunately, there wasn't a doubt in his mind that Roy didn't feel the same way.

&&&

When Riza looked over the remaining pile of documents in her personal study, she groaned and slumped down into her chair. After seeing that the clock on the wall stated it to be almost three in the afternoon, she called out to her boyfriend. "Jean, come here!"

A few seconds later, Havoc poked his head in the open doorway. "Yes?"

"Can you pick up April from preschool? I just found a pile of paperwork I missed somehow."

Her boyfriend could only stare. Riza? Forget something? But that face was entirely unwavering, so he decided that even a woman like Riza could forget something every now and again. Besides, she had been busy all day. Why was there suddenly so much work for her?

"Sure. I think I remember where it is."

"You better remember or else Ed will probably kill you for not properly taking care of his daughter. And no smoking either. You saw how terrified Roy was after Ed found that pamphlet."

Havoc sighed. "Still as crazy as ever even after marriage and parenthood. Sheesh."

"And he'll go insane if you don't leave right now. April gets out in ten minutes."

_This is what I get for babysitting Edward's kid. Paranoia and pressure. _Havoc sighed again, heavier this time. "Yes ma'am."

When Havoc saluted and left, Riza let her head fall back so that her eyes met the ceiling. There _was_ a reason why she suddenly had so much work to do, and that was also the reason why Roy could have the day off work today. Havoc would have probably started to complain about Riza doing Roy's work for him and not her own boyfriend's, so she had quickly decided against telling him of the truth.

Honestly. She was too nice to her boss.


	4. Silence can be Lethal

I said this would be out sooner than the last chapter, but it isn't. Sorry about that, but I was depressed one week and out of town the next. And my muse sort of flew away halfway through, but hey.

This is the chapter that everything goes to hell. It's nice and fluffy in the beginning but while I was writing the ending I was listening to Linkin Park. That should be enough explanation for you.

**

* * *

Chapter Three;**_Silence can be Lethal.

* * *

_  
"Stopitstopitstopit!" Ed squeaked out, flailing about on the bed underneath his husband. "That tickles, you idiot!"

Roy grinned into Ed's neck and only continued to flick his tongue over Ed's earlobe. He loved teasing the blonde and noises Ed made as a result of it even more.

"Hmm, do you really want me to stop?" Roy teased in a whisper, placing a gentle kiss on the skin just below his ear right after. Ed shivered.

"N-not really…" The mumbled response was clear enough for Roy, and he wasted no time in straddling the smaller man's hips and leaning his head down for a passionate kiss. Though he allowed the heated kiss, Ed stopped Roy's wandering hand from going any lower. Roy felt rejected at first, but the feeling vanished when he saw the amused smile on his lover's face -- he knew there wasn't anything wrong after seeing just that simple expression.

"But! April gets out of school soon, meaning that Riza will be dropping her off at home soon. I doubt neither one of them would like to come home to find us… well, like this."

Roy smiled and nuzzled Ed's cheek. "You sure this isn't an excuse to keep us from a second round?"

Younger husband snorted. "So now you're teasing _me_ about age? You're still a lot older than me if you forgot."

"And now we're trying to cover it up, are we?"

"You're so annoying." Ed frowned up at the grinning Roy.

"Aw, Ed you've broken my heart. But I suppose if I buy you pointless and expensive gifts, you'll forgive me?"

Ed purred in satisfaction and wrapped his arms delicately around Roy's shoulders. "Oh yes, that sounds nice." He let his eyes flutter close while making an 'mmm' sound, pondering how much Roy was willing to give him. He shivered when he felt Roy's mouth on his neck, gently caressing skin with teeth and tongue. "Get me some designer clothes, treat me to breakfast in bed, pay for a day at the spa, and redo the bedroom in red… Oh yes, there." He moaned softly when Roy's wandering tongue had managed to find a sensitive spot where his neck met his shoulder.

"Mmhmm… Your mind is always running through fantasies. You really do act like the rich man's wife that you are." The playful kick that followed wasn't unexpected. "However! I think the red bedroom can be accomplished, as the master bedroom in the new house is red. The breakfast thing might take a while, though."

"You'd better get used to it fast then or -- wait. New house?"

"Yes, new house." Roy obviously missed the annoyed tone in Ed's comment.

"What the hell do you mean 'new house'?"

"Oh." The realization that he hadn't told Ed yet finally hit Roy, making him cease the kisses to Ed's neck. "I knew I was forgetting something. As I'm Fuhrer now, we're going to live in the proper estate for it, shall I say."

"We are going to _what?_"

"Oh come on, Ed! It's not that bad! The house is brilliant, and Appy will have her own playroom!"

The blonde glared up at his husband with all his might, but Roy never gave in to the angry looks he was thrown. It seemed Ed knew he was doomed to lose, as he sighed and closed his eyes in defeat. "But I love this house, Roy."

"I know, so do I. But change is good, too."

"This house is big enough as it is, that damned mansion we're moving to is going to be hell adjusting to." Ed complained, "And we're not going to get out of having housekeepers now, are we?"

"No, I don't think we will." Roy knew how much Ed _hated_ housekeepers, so silently pitied the ones who would be working for them. "But you can make _some_ changes, right? For me?"

Ed's golden eyes flicked open to find Roy's dark ones, pleading with him to understand how much it meant. "…" Ed hated the way he lost to these battles. "Alright. I'll try."

Smiling, Roy kissed Ed's nose as a thank-you. Ed grinned and lightheartedly shoved Roy away, laughing. "You're an idiot. Now go make yourself useful and get my clothes for me."

There was an amused snort from Roy. "Have I tired you out that badly, love?"

"Not tired. Sore, yes. But not tired."

The comment earned him a pair of rolled eyes and his clothes tossed back at him carelessly. With sharp reflexes, Ed caught the clothes effortlessly. Roy noticed the way Ed struggled a bit with dressing his lower half, but was shoved away again when he attempted to help.

"You're worse than April." Roy stated when Ed's stubborn streak made him reject the help. April had _always_ been troublesome to dress -- she never liked people helping her. Just like her mommy, the little girl was set on proving her independence.

"Are you calling me childish?"

"Perhaps. You _are_ obsessed with some childish things. Like sugar cookies for example. Oh crap, that reminds me."

"What did you forget and how important is it?" Ed demanded immediately.

"I promised April I'd get her those weird animal shaped cookies she likes before we left, but I completely forgot about them."

Ed's eyes flicked to the wall behind Roy for a moment to check the time. "You've got fifteen minutes to go get them and be back here."

"Yessir."

Ed groaned and threw a pillow at him. "Don't ever say that to me again. No military speak in the bedroom, you should know that by now."

"And I have ever since the day I called you Fullmetal during sex. I just like annoying you."

"Well you're damn good at it. Now hurry up, you're wasting time."

Mostly out of habit, Roy was about to salute -- but the memory of Ed smacking him with slippers quickly stopped him. Instead, he kissed his husband's forehead. "Bye, love! I'll be back before you know it!"

**&&&**

"Why is Roy taking so long?" The blonde complained out loud, his only audience being the ridiculous amount of pillows sitting innocently on the couch. "He was only going to be gone fifteen minutes." He continued on to no one, pacing back and forth across the living room floor.

Maybe he was being a little overbearing. Roy was and always had been trustworthy and completely loyal to him, and maybe the traffic had been bad. He had only been gone about forty minutes, after all. That wasn't too bad… right?

"But Roy _always_ keeps his word!" Ed wailed and pouted as he collapsed on the couch Sugar could always be found snoozing on.

He wouldn't be as paranoid if Riza had taken April home -- preschool ended a half an hour ago. No one had taken April home yet, and the preschool was only a ten minute drive from their current estate.

_Ring! Ring! Ring!_

The blonde jumped at the sudden sound at first, but soon had the phone pressed to his ear. "Hello? Mustang estate."

"Hey darling, it's Roy."

Ed hesitated before saying anything. It was definitely Roy's voice, but there had been something _off_ in it. Something he couldn't seem to place. And most of all, something he didn't like. "No it's not." He blurted out on reflex.

"…What?"

"You're not Roy. Your voice. That's not Roy's voice."

There was silence on the other end, followed by abrupt laughter. "Are you feeling alright, love? Of course this is Roy. This phone is just really crappy, that's all."

It did seem plausible. The voice he had just accused of being someone else did sound very similar to his husband's -- the thing he _hadn't_ recognized was the _way_ he spoke.

"Oh… Sorry. I guess worry just got the better of me. And where the hell are you? You said you'd be back in fifteen minutes. How long does it take to pick up a box of cookies?"

"Sorry! It was busy at the store and there was traffic!" Roy answered quickly, "But that aside, I'm just calling to tell you I'm bringing April home so you don't have to worry about Havoc getting her."

"Alright, alright. Did you get the right kind? Last time you got something completely different and April was mad at you for the rest of the day."

"…did I what?"

"Roy, are you stoned or something? I _said_ did you get the right kind of cookies for our daughter?"

"What, yes of course!"

Ed rolled his eyes. "To think I married a loser like you."

There was silence for a moment, before slight laughter. "But you love me anyways, right?"

"Unfortunately." Though the blonde laughed after the tease, he was still uneasy over Roy's previous comment. And that feeling only got worse when Roy joined in the laughing. Eager to rid himself of the awkward feeling, Ed continued on. "But! I might not love you as much if you don't get your ass home in the next ten minutes."

"Sheesh, you're pushy." Roy laughed again before issuing an affectionate goodbye and hanging up.

Putting the phone back on its cradle, Ed fell back onto the couch and stretched his limbs with a stifled yawn. Golden eyes met the ceiling, and he frowned as thoughts started to flood his mind again.

_Get a hold of yourself, Ed. He's only a little late, what are you worried over? Stupid gut feelings mean nothing, remember?_

Grumbling, the blonde rolled onto his stomach and shoved pillows on top of his head.

**&&&**

The moment he heard the front door open half an hour later, Ed was promptly dashing down the hall to do only two things: Scold the hell out of his husband for not keeping his word and to happily greet his daughter with a hug.

"Sorry I took so long, Ed! I -"

"I know, I know." The blonde interrupted nonchalantly, not wanting to hear Roy repeat his excuses.

"And how exactly would you know what held me up, then? Don't tell me you've been stalking me again." Roy grinned after mentioning Ed stalking him, suddenly recalling early memories of Ed following Roy everywhere like a puppy. (It was how they had gotten so close in the first place, even though Ed insisted that that memory was all in Roy's head.)

Ed marched right up to his husband with his hands on hips and an exasperated look on his face. He stared his husband down who just stared right back, ignoring any and all anger in his eyes.

"Because you called and told me? You're so bad at lying. Well, at least I won't have to worry about you cheating on me I suppose." The blonde taunted, sticking out his tongue. Roy only tilted his head to the side in confusion.

"But I -"

"Never mind, never mind." He interrupted, waving his hand to show the dismissal of the subject. "Where's April?"

"I don't have her with me… I thought Riza or Havoc would have taken her home by now."

Roy did not like where this was headed, and he felt his heart sink a little more when he saw Ed suddenly pale.

The younger husband stared with an unreadable expression in his golden eyes for quite some time before managing a weak laugh. "Very funny."

"But I'm not joking, Ed." Roy's eyes were deadly serious. It immediately scared blonde so badly that he wasn't sure he wanted to listen to the rest of what Roy had to say. "I didn't call. The reason I'm late is because there was a sale at a toy store, so I stopped by to pick up some more stuffed animals for April." For proof, he held up a shopping bag filled with stuffed kittens and other plush creatures that smiled despite the darkening situation.

The dead silence that followed was enough to crush them both.

Then, hesitant and slowly, Ed managed to speak. "…Y-You didn't call? Then who the hell did? Where the hell are Riza and Havoc? Where's our daughter, Roy!"

"I… don't know."

The second Roy had said 'don't', Ed was running into the living room and fumbling with the phone until he realized he didn't know Riza's number. Roy was the one who dialed the number in the end, but Ed snatched the phone back to speak.

"Brigadier Gen-"

"Riza? Riza, did you send Havoc to get April?"

It took her a moment to recognize who was speaking so frantically to her on the other end. "Yes, he left a while ago. Hasn't he dropped off April yet? It's only a ten minute drive…"

Ed looked horrified. The phone slipped out of his hand and hit the wooden table with a loud clank, causing Roy to jump forward and demand to know what she had said to him.

"Ed? Ed, are you there?" The clanking noise had worried Riza, and the yelling between Ed and Roy that followed only made her assume the worst.

"What the hell, Roy! Where's our daughter!"

"I don't know, Ed!"

"Damn it!" Ed stood with his fists clenched, his face torn between desperation and anger. Roy was managing to keep himself together, but there was no escaping that scared look in his dark eyes.

"We're going to the preschool." The statement was more official than anything. Ed looked at him, silent and angry at the lack of concern -- until he saw Roy's eyes.

Roy's eyes did not lie to him.

"Come on, I'm driving." Roy took Ed by the hand, leaving a worried Riza Hawkeye forgotten on the other line behind them.

**&&&**

The teacher of April's preschool class was just finishing packing up her things for the day when a car pulled up in front of the building. Curious as to why any parents would be here now, especially since all the children had left nearly an hour ago, she peeked out the window to get a better look.

She recognized the two stumbling out of the vehicle. They were the couple who had adopted that little Ishbal girl, April. It had taken a while to adjust to the thought of having the child of a homosexual couple in her class; but after meeting the two many times she learned that they were actually brilliant parents, and good people.

When the couple entered the building, she waved merrily and smiled. "Good afternoon Mustang-san and Edward-san."

"Did someone come to pick up April this afternoon?" Roy was the one to ask, as both knew that Ed wasn't able to ask anything calmly.

"Yes, a military man did. I was hesitant to let her go with him at first, but she definitely knew who he was and was fond of him."

"Was his name Jean Havoc?"

"That sounds about right. I remember April calling him Havoc-chan."

This time, Ed was the one to speak. "Y-You sure?" Roy glanced over at his husband when he spoke the stumbled words. There was little colour left in his now pale cheeks.

"Yes." The young woman replied, starting to feel uneasy with the tension. "Is… is there something wrong?"

Ed buried his face behind his hands the same way he did when he had a headache and let his body slump against Roy, who caught him before he toppled over. "Oh fuck."

Roy made sure that Ed wasn't going to collapse first, but soon turned his attention back on the teacher. "As of now, we have no idea where our daughter could be."

She could only stare, alarmed and guilty at Roy's words. "This… this is awful! We must contact police immediately!"

Barely a minute later, it was the young teacher who was explaining what had happened over the phone; as Roy was occupied with calming down his distraught husband.

**&&&**

The sun was beginning to set, and there was still no sign of April -- or Havoc. Now Riza was also worried for a loved one. A search party had been dispatched, and the three of them hadn't hesitated to join.

Now, six hours into the search, there were absolutely no traces of either person. The only thing that remained was Sugar and three distressed adults.

"Have you checked the west side of town?" Ed demanded the moment he saw an officer cease talking to another member of the search party.

"Yes sir, twice."

"The east side?"

"Yes sir."

"The sewers?"

"Yes sir."

"The main shopping area?"

"Sir, I know that you're worried over your daughter and her safety but I can assure you we have teams searching for her and the man she was with as we speak. We will find them both; you shouldn't worry yourself too much."

"Shouldn't worry myself? My first and only child has been kidnapped! She's only _four_! And you're telling me not to worry!"

"Please sir, I think it's best you get some rest. You've tired yourself out."

"That doesn't matter! April is probably feeling worse than I am right now!"

"Ed!" Roy's familiar voice made Ed turn his head and attention onto his husband instead of the police officer. "Ed, he has a point. You're going to hurt yourself if you don't rest soon." Coming closer and placing his hands on the smaller man's shoulders, he let his firm mask falter so that Ed could see how he truly felt; afraid and concerned. "Please… go home. I'm already worried for the health of one of the dearest people in my life, don't make it two."

Ed hesitated and looked away. "A-Alright… But… search a little longer before you come home. For me, and our daughter."

"Promise." Roy pulled Ed into a tight, reassuring hug that the blonde wished he could simply melt into forever. "Officer, have someone take Ed home."

"Yes, Fuhrer." The officer saluted and dashed off.

"I'm never going to get used to that." Roy mused quietly, trying to lighten the mood. When the man in his arms didn't respond to him, Roy went back to being serious. "It's going to be alright. Take Sugar home with you and rest."

"Sugar… That's right, he was with Riza too." Ed's voice was quiet and faraway, as if afraid to speak any louder.

"Yes, and I'm sure he will appreciate getting home as well. Now, your ride is ready." Roy announced when the car drove up next to them.

Roy saw that Sugar was already in the back seat when Ed opened the door, but also noticed that the orange feline did not meow. Sugar always greeted Ed. Instead, he only stared up at the blonde with round, wide eyes that seemed restless. Could a mere cat even understand the situation?

Perhaps he did; because when Ed sat and closed the door, Sugar crawled into his lap and proved himself to be the closest comfort Edward could find.


End file.
